World Cup 2026: An audience of 16.3m tunes in to watch England's win over DR Congo

England's World Cup victory over DR Congo drew a peak audience of 16.3 million viewers, marking the BBC's most-watched moment of the year. The team is now set to face Mexico in the last 16 round.
Why it matters
High viewership figures highlight the continued cultural and commercial dominance of major international sporting events on public service broadcasting.
Figure caption, Kane scores late winner as England overcome DR Congo to reach last 16
The article is a straightforward report on viewership statistics and match results without political or subjective framing.
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